British police prepare for mall attack

Specialist firearms officers have been secretly training for a potential attack [GETTY: Pic posed by model]

A senior security expert has told the Daily Star Sunday the UK faces a ­possible terror attack in the next few months.

Former SAS man Alan Bell, who has spent years teaching police and security forces around the world, fears shopping centres and busy train and bus stations could be easy targets for terrorists during the Christmas shopping period.

Prime Minister David Cameron ­ recognised the danger, saying: “It pays to be very, very prepared, very, very cautious and to work out we have everything in place we can to deal with awful events like this.”

Specialist firearms officers from the ­Metropolitan Police’s gun unit SCO19 have been secretly training for a potential attack on British soil.

They have been practising at a purpose-built mock-up of a shopping centre at the Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre in Gravesend, Kent.

Last night martial arts expert Bell, who spent years in the SAS ­fighting terrorism and protecting foreign royalty, warned: “I’m not trying to frighten people – I am ­ preparing them. This is the reality we are dealing with now.

“It’s a new world and we have to be ­prepared that something could happen soon, especially with Christmas coming up.

“It’s highly likely the Kenyan mall was a warm-up or a ‘show and tell’ for other terror groups. Forearmed is forewarned.”

He said he spent his life preparing people for the worst-case scenario.

“The world is a much more dangerous place now,” he said.

“It pays to be very, very prepared, very, very cautious and to work out we have everything in place we can to deal with awful events like this”

David Cameron

“Terrorists are in the business of terror and to scare people away from travelling and shopping. Causing as much panic as possible is their current aim. An attack like this could ­cripple the economy and ­happen at any time.

“People need to be more aware of their surroundings. If you’re going into a shopping centre or station, where are the exits? This may seem obvious but most people only know the way they came in.”

Bell added: “In the event you are stuck in the middle of an incident there are a couple of things you should do. If you can, the best ­response is to run away.

“If the attackers are close to you or moving into the area you are stuck in, it may be advisable to play dead.

“A huge number of people in the Westgate incident survived by doing just that.

“One woman went as far as smearing herself with blood from another victim and pulled him partially on top of her so the ­attackers would think she was dead.

“If you are in this scenario, stay ­ completely still, try to hide your chest and stomach because they will be rising and ­falling as you breathe.

“Stay still until the attackers leave your area and then try to make your escape – but be warned, this could take some time.”

More positively Bell said that, as the ­country with the most CCTV cameras in Europe, every move is being tracked by ­operators.

But he added: “These precautions didn’t stop the Boston Marathon bombing where five people were killed and 262 injured.

“So it’s always better to be safe than sorry and make sure you note your ­surroundings and have an escape plan in your head.”

Officers have been training at a purpose built shopping centre in Kent [GETTY: Pic posed by model]